October 1, 2025 — NOAA Fisheries will continue conducting seafood inspections, fisheries management, and law enforcement operations during the U.S. federal government shutdown, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC), although most research efforts will be paused.
The federal government officially entered a partial shutdown 1 October after Congress failed to pass appropriations bills funding several departments and agencies into fiscal year 2026. While the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution to keep the government funded for seven more weeks, Republican leaders in the Senate were unable to accomplish the same. Democrats in the Senate have held firm in opposing the stopgap funding bill until Republicans concede on funding health care subsidies.